


Come with Me

by Squid_Ink



Series: The Eagle and the Cross [34]
Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Art, F/M, His Father's Son - Miracle of Sound, Inspiration, Inspired, nermallion, this may be a first chapter of a fic...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 15:08:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6962014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squid_Ink/pseuds/Squid_Ink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haytham leaves for London to start his hunt for Jenny, but first he must tell Ziio. Unbeknownst to him, Ziio also have something life changing to tell him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come with Me

It was a warm pleasant breeze; autumn was rapidly setting in. Haytham needed to make a choice and he wanted to talk to her before deciding on what to do. He hated the fact that he was indecisive, he normally never had issues on choosing his course in life but Ziio… she muddled everything in his life.

She was also bloody impossible to find when she didn't want to be found; he mused standing there with his hands behind his back as he scanned the treetops looking for her. "Looking for me," she asked, startling him. He jumped to the side, eyes widening when he saw her lounging like a puma upon a branch. An easy smile graced her lips. Haytham swallowed, falling deeper in love with her. He knew he couldn't abandon her… at least he couldn't leave without telling her.

"Ziio," Haytham licked his lips, her finger rested lightly on the tip of his tricorn, the breeze rustling the loose strains of her black hair. "I… I… there is something important that I have to do… and… I want to know," he sighed, rubbing his mouth, "will you help me?"

Ziio chuckled, resting her cheek on her hand. She plucked Haytham's hat up, removing it from his head. "Let me think about it," she teased, smirking at the little blush tinting his cheeks. She leaned forward and kissed him then. She felt him place a hand on her shoulder to stabilize her. He was a gentleman when he wanted to be. They broke apart.

"Well," Haytham said, "think quickly, I leave in a few days upon the Morrígan for London."

"London?" Ziio asked, sitting up, legs dangling on either side of a branch as if she were astride a horse.

"Yes, London."

"Where is London?" she never heard of this place before. "Is it far? Can I come and visit?" she asked, in a tone of a childish innocence.

"I'm afraid not," Haytham sighed, "London is in England… it's across the ocean, the Atlantic." Haytham watched as Ziio's eyes grew wide at that. "I'm sorry Ziio, but I must return to London. I have… an… urgent matter to attend to."

"But you said," Ziio began, "you said you'd stay here. You said that there were still things your order had to do here… that maybe the cave…" Ziio shook her head. "So that's it?" she asked. "You are just going to abandon me and return to your wife in London."

Haytham barked a laugh, slapping a hand to his forehead before dragging it down his face. "My wife? Oh good lord," he chuckled. "Ziio, there is no wife waiting for me in London. I never married."

"But you…" Ziio trailed off, her cheeks tinting pink. Haytham chuckled again. The wind gusted, this time it was a bit nippy and Ziio rubbed her bear arms. She took a step closer to Haytham, who pulled her into his embrace. Ziio sighed and rested her head against his chest.

"Of course I've had… encounters with women before, but I never loved any of them," he said, tilting her chin up, "not like I love you… I do love you, Ziio. Don't doubt that."

"Then why leave me?"

"It's a… personal… a family matter, I don't wish to discuss it, it's… rather personal and would take a good bit of explaining."

"Fine," Ziio muttered, placing her head back on his chest. She should tell him, the harvest season was setting in and she had yet to bleed. She should tell him, especially if he was leaving. "Are you coming back?"

"I'm… I'm not sure," Haytham said, tightening his arms around her slightly as if by clinging to her, he can freeze this moment in time. "I would like to, but I'm not sure if I will… in a timely fashion." An idea sparked in his mind.

"I'm pregnant."

"Come with me."

They stared at each other, before laughing. "I'm sorry, you spoke first tell me, what did you say?" Ziio asked, taking the opportunity to avoid telling Haytham of her condition. He smiled at her.

"Come with me," he said, cupping her cheek, his thumb stroking her cheekbone. "Come with me to London. If you've been to Boston it's… grander," Haytham said, he grabbed her hands and stared at her. "Please, Ziio… come with me, come to London with me. We'll get married and you will be my wife. Once I've taken care of the matter back in London we'll return to the Colonies and…" Haytham trailed off. "Ziio?"

"I… I can't," Ziio said, taking a step back. "I can't go to London. I can't leave my people, my land… my home." Ziio watched as something inside broke in Haytham, even though he kept his expression neutral. She felt like she was losing him and he was slipping away from her. She bit her lip before blurting, "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant," Haytham repeated, surprised. He sighed, shoulders slumping. "Well, that should have been expected," he said in an emotionally ambiguous tone. He hadn't exactly been careful during their more… erotic encounters. He rubbed his face. "We must wed," he said. Ziio frowned at him. "Nothing fancy just a small ceremony. If we leave now, I'm sure we can get to the harbor in a timely manner and Shay can perform the ceremony on his ship."

"But you will still leave," Ziio said, sounding hurt. "You'll abandon me and your child?"

"Ziio, I'm going back to find my sister," Haytham finally said, he couldn't leave now without her knowing. "I… she was betrayed by someone she thought she could trust. I… I lost her and my agent in Europe has finally located her. I can't in good faith just… leave her to whatever fate plans for her. She's my sister… I can't just abandon her." Haytham took her hands. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't be." Ziio said, she understood the importance of family. She would have done the same if it was someone from her family or tribe. "I understand. Family is important. We'll… we'll marry and I will wait for you." She placed a hand on her still flat belly, "We'll both wait."

Haytham felt an easy smile spread across his lips. "I promise," he said, "I will return for you and our child."

Ziio knew by the tone of his voice that nothing short of death will allow him to break that promise.

* * *

 

They were married that night onboard the Morrígan. Gist having somehow found a ring, a Templar ring, to use for the ceremony. The gathering was small, just Haytham's Templars that he could find on short notice. Ziio wasn't sure if the union would count among her people, but seeing William Johnson there, made her feel like she may convince the clan mother to accept the clobbered together union between her and Haytham, especially once she mentioned the baby.

Shay gave an awkward sermon, trying to pay respect to Ziio's cultural and spiritual beliefs, his Irish Catholic upbringing, and the atheistic view of the Templars. He often stumbled, blushed, muttered an apology, continued only to repeat the process. Finally, Haytham snapped and told him to cut to the chase. This seemed to suit Shay better and he asked Haytham and Ziio if they promised to love each other, support each other, and remain faithful for the end of their days. Haytham softly muttered _I do_ , and Ziio boldly declared yes she would. They kissed and retreated to Shay's cabin, which he had gracefully offered up to them for the night.

As Haytham tugged her into the cramp yet luxurious space of Shay's cabin, Ziio made note of the Templars. She only recognized William Johnson and the few Natives he was able to convince to join the Templar Order. The other two Templars she didn't recognize, though she later learned that one was Shay's first mate. Ziio watched the men on the deck, for a few more seconds before Haytham tugged her into the cabin.

* * *

 

_Six Years Later_

It had taken Haytham much longer than he had liked to find Jenny and rescue her, then turn around and meet Shay in the North Atlantic to deal the last crippling blow to the Colonial Assassins, then sail back to Europe to deal with Birch for the final time with Jenny. He gotten a few letters from Ziio in the in between, written in Johnson's hand since she couldn't write.

He had a son. Ziio had named him Ratonhnhaké:ton, in her mother tongue. Haytham hadn't thought of a given name for the child before he left, and left only instructions with Johnson to make sure that the records in Boston showed that a child was born to him. Somehow, Johnson settled upon the name Connor as an appropriate Anglo name for the boy.

Haytham did the figuring in his head. Ziio had told him of their child at the end of the summer in 1755, it was now the spring of 1761. The boy would be around five or six years of age. Too long for a father to finally be meeting his son. "Suppose it runs in the family," he muttered to himself, thinking of his own father, having not met his own daughter until she was about eight. Haytham found the path to Ziio's village easily enough, he had sent word with one of Johnson's contacts ahead so Ziio can be ready to meet him. It would be good to see her again. He smiled at the thought of holding his wife… the thought still baffled him, in his arms after all this time.

He wasn't expecting to see the clan mother with a small boy at her side and Johnson waiting for him. "William," Haytham said, dismounting, "what… what are you doing here?"

"Haytham… I'm…" Johnson began but stopped. "The Clan Mother will explain. I'm… I'm only here to translate."

"Translate?" Haytham was confused, surely Ziio was around and would have taught their son English. "William, where is Ziio?"

"Kaneihtí:io is dead," the Clan Mother said, Johnson translating. It felt like a punch in the gut. Ziio… dead. His wife… whom he only spent a few days with after their wedding was dead! This surely had to be a misunderstanding.

Haytham swallowed. "How?" he forced out. "H-How did Ziio die?" he asked. He will hunt down the bastard and slit their throat for taking his wife from him. Just like how he killed Birch for being the one to push his father into the path of an oncoming carriage.

"In a fire," the Clan Mother said, "started by the soldiers."

"Washington," Haytham hissed. He turned, he would hunt down Washington and kill him.

"Haytham," William called out. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Right. His son. It felt strange now, to have a son. The boy remained mute between the entire exchange, playing with the ring in his hand. Haytham only now recognized it as the ring her had slipped upon Ziio's dainty finger that night all those years ago. He covered his face with his hand, took three deep breathes before looking at his son. His revenge against Washington will have to wait. He had a duty now, to the boy… no not _the boy_ , to his _son._ Haytham walked up and knelt before the boy. "Connor," he said, the boy looked up. It pleased Haytham to note that the boy was familiar with both his Mohawk name and his English name, "I'm your father."

"I know," the boy said, "Mr. Johnson told me and so did _Ista_." Connor looked at the ring in his hands, a sad expression on his face. " _Ista_ said you'd come back."

"I did… I wish I had gotten back sooner though," Haytham said. "I truly do."

"You are here now, though," Connor whispered.

"Yes," Haytham agreed, "yes I am." He turned to face the Clan Mother, "I'll be taking him back with me to Boston." Haytham said. The old woman nodded and said something to Johnson.

"She says that Kaneihtí:io would want Ratonhnhaké:ton… erm, Connor, to also be familiar with his Native heritage as well. I can bring him by for a few weeks so he can learn the ways of his mother's people," Johnson said.

"That's fine," Haytham said, taking his son's hand. "Get his things Johnson, but Connor and I are returning to Boston."

"Can I say goodbye to my friends?" Connor asked, even though he had said goodbye to them already. Haytham frowned, recognizing it as a gambit to stall.

"I'm sure you already said goodbye and you'll be bac here for a few weeks next month," Haytham said. He wanted to leave the village soon, it reminded him too much of Ziio. "Mr. Johnson will bring your things, rest assure."

"Alright…" Connor muttered, accepting Haytham's hand. Haytham lead his son to the horse, put the boy astride the animal before mounting behind him and riding off, never looking back on the village that was once Ziio's home. " _Raké:ni_?" Connor asked. "Father?"

"Yes?" Haytham asked.

"Tell me about _Ista_?" Connor asked, holding onto the saddle with one hand and clutching Ziio's ring tightly with the other. Haytham smiled, a sad smile but lunched into a tale about Ziio nonetheless.

**Author's Note:**

> Assassin's Creed (c) Ubisoft
> 
> Nermallion drew lovely HayZiio art. So I got inspired.
> 
> MohawkWoman had such a beautiful happy idea for the ending but I totally went with the angst! I am evil. Bad Nemo is bad. No cookie for you!
> 
> I hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> Save an author; leave a review. Otherwise Connor will cry, do you want to be responsible for Connor's tears?
> 
> Nemo


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